Yamaha SVC-110SK Silent Electric Cello Brown

I am really enjoying it a lot. With bow, stand, resin, chair and book, it is a complete experience.

The Yamaha Silent Cello is awesome. I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking for a cello that sounds great, is convenient and not as sensitive to changes in the environment as an acoustic cello, and that can be used for (almost) silent practice as well as home recording. The sound of the SVC-110 is great - very close to an acoustic cello. You will need good speakers or headphones though (ideally, an amp with sizable speakers and good low range, or a good PA or monitor system), although I have been able to get decent sound even through a normal stereo system (using the headphones output from the cello). If you are considering this and other electric cellos, I would recommend watching some videos on YouTube that showcase the sound. I love being able to practice relatively silently (though not absolutely silent - the fact that this cello has a small resonance chamber means that it is still audible, sounding more like a cello with a practice mute). Additionally, being able to plug the cello into an audio interface and recording straight into my favorite DAW with great sound is amazing. Lastly, one more key advantage (and the original reason for me for buying this) is that the cello travels much more easily than an acoustic one - after taking out the bridge and loosening the strings, I put it in a hard case for a normal cello and check it in when flying - so much easier than with an acoustic cello that you have to buy a seat for (and I will have recouped the cost of the cello after just a couple of intercontinental flights). I just wish they made a hard case specifically for this cello. In terms of improvement potential, there is really only one wish that I would have: You have to switch the cello off when you are done playing (which I keep forgetting), or the batteries will drain very quickly (i.e., overnight). Luckily, they are just AA ones and rechargeable batteries work fine, but I would prefer it if - just like with active electric guitars and basses - the cello would automatically turn off when it is unplugged. Since this is just a minor inconvenience though (and mostly my own fault for being forgetful), I still give the cello five stars.